Floor covering for deck planks

Abstract

This invention relates to a floor covering arrangment in the form of a plurality of strips of floor covering material having a fibrous floor covering layer, the strips being arranged for mounting on the upper surfaces of deck planks.

I claim: 
     
       1. Floor covering comprising a plurality of elongate, nominally straight deck planks each having an upper surface with two side edges, two vertical side surfaces at the side edges of the upper surface and an under surface for attachment to a support frame, each deck plank being covered on its upper surface by a covering layer comprising an elongate generally planar, thin support strip, a layer of floor covering material attached to an upper surface of the support strip, the support strip having, in a relaxed condition thereof, an arch shape in cross-section such that a center part thereof is raised relative to two side edges thereof, the support strip and the floor covering material having a width substantially equal to a width of the plank so as to extend only to the side edges thereof leaving the side surfaces thereof exposed, and a plurality of transverse grooves in the support strip allowing slight bending of the support strip and the layer thereon about an axis at right angles to the support strip to follow those deck plank which are distorted from the nominal straight shape. 
     
     
       2. The floor covering according to claim 1 including fastening means engaging the center part only to fasten an under surface of the center part down onto the upper surface of the deck plank leaving the side edges of the support strip free from fastening to the deck plank. 
     
     
       3. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the floor covering material is fibrous. 
     
     
       4. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the grooves are continuous across the full width of the support strip. 
     
     
       5. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the fastening means comprises a plurality of mechanical fasteners arranged in a row along the center part, each mechanical fastener extending through the support strip and engaging mechanically into the material of the deck plank. 
     
     
       6. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the support strip is flexible and has sufficient stiffness such that the arch shape tends to hold the side edges of the support strip downwardly onto the upper surface of the deck plank adjacent the side edges of the deck plank. 
     
     
       7. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the grooves are formed between ribs raised on an upper surface of the support strip. 
     
     
       8. The floor covering according to claim 7 wherein the ribs are formed also in the floor covering material. 
     
     
       9. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the floor covering material is heat bonded to the support strip by engagement therewith after extrusion and before cooling. 
     
     
       10. The floor covering according to claim 9 wherein the floor covering material is heat bonded to the support strip by passing between a pair of cooled nip rollers which are shaped to form ribs defining the grooves therebetween in the upper surface of the support strip and the floor covering material. 
     
     
       11. The floor covering according to claim 1 wherein the support strip is tapered in a transverse direction so as to be thinner at the edges thereof.